Dammann Frères

Another blend in my holiday stash that I’m just not loving anymore. Slightly bready/cakey tasting, with a touch of fruit. But, there’s an astringent quality that is throwing everything off-balance.

Starting to switch from fall teas to more winter/holiday blends. This is still tasty, but I think the flavor may have faded a bit. Hard to tell, because I can’t quite remember what it tasted like before, and apparently I never wrote a tasting note. I’m getting mostly almond, and no trace of orange. A touch of a pastry note, but mainly the almond.

Sipdown (2671)!

This was the last of the three sachet samples that came with my advent, and honestly my least favourite of the three. The idea of a passionfruit oolong is really interesting to me, and I definitely admit this cup did have a tropical note to it. However, it lacked that really vibrant, sweet tangy quality that I so closely associate with passionfruit. Instead it was pretty floral leaning (not just from the oolong itself, but largely so) and a little drying in the backend. I fine enough tea that I would drink again if served, but far enough off from my expectations and totally nailing that passionfruit note that I don’t think I’d seek it out again of my own accord.

I’m not familiar with a Canissoun, which is the pastry this tea seems to be named after/inspired by, so I can’t in any way speak to accuracy. What made me personally curious about this one was the combination of almond and melon flavours which don’t really go together in my head. But I love both, so I wanted to give it a try!

This was very, very good and simultaneously really familiar tasting and also super different from any other melon or almond blend I’ve ever had before. The whole cup is very smooth with a light to moderate amount of flavouring overall which does let the rooibos shine pretty well. I quite like the rooibos that DF uses for blending, so I didn’t mind at all. I find it pretty naturally sweet and nutty already with some honey undertone. Very complimentary to everything going on here.

If I thought about what I was sipping more actively it became pretty easy to pick apart the three main flavours as seperate layers: sweet and slightly floral green melon, an almost pastry/macaron like almond or marzipan notes, and just a hint of fresh orange blossom or orange zest. The orange in particular lingers in the finish, so that was a little more noticeable to me in between sips.

With that said, when I tried to just experience the tea as a whole I did really get like a sweet almond cookie kind of vibe with the super specific note of a hard sugar glaze on top. You know the one: kind of a foggy white colour that is smooth and sort of semi-matte. Not rock hard, but set in place enough that it won’t stick to your fingers or smudge and that it has a sort of satisfying snap when you bite it. Also very delicious.

I’m excited to get to know this tea a little more because it fits in that niche of fruity yet decadent/dessert-y that I personally REALLY love. Those teas, to me, tend to be some of the most versatile so I can see this quickly becoming a fast favourite.

Sipdown (2667)!

This was one of three free sachet samples that DF included as part of my advent order. I was so excited to see this one because I very, very nearly ordered it for myself. It was the green tea that ultimately deterred me.

I have such a soft spot for violet flavoured teas though, and the violet flavouring in this one is exceptional. Floral but also sweet and lush, and very round and mouth coating. The cassis is just the right amount to give it a thicker, jammy quality without dipping into that sometimes medicinal zone cassis likes to wanderer into every now and then. The overall cup was just very smooth, with a flavourful but not heavy fruity and floral mix. I would actually definitely buy this next time I order, green tea be damned.

Today, I’m trying out a pot of Woody Tonka for the first time! Tonka is such an amazingly rich ingredient with a fantastic vanilla-like flavour, and I think it’s a total crime that it’s not used more commonly in tea blends so when I saw this tea while placing my advent calendar order I knew I just had to give it a try. It steeps up quite potent and aromatic, with a complex and heady nose of vanilla and florals coming off the steeped liquor with just a hint of cocoa.

I was a little surprised by the steeped taste since there are a lot of flavours at play, which makes for a really bold brew. The initial one that I’m hit with is, thankfully, the one I most wanted to come through: the tonka. For those less familiar with the taste of tonka, don’t expect something super creamy and custard-like the way a lot of North American vanilla flavoured tea blends tend to be. Instead, this tasted is more perfumed and, like the name of this blend implies, woody with a subtle almond or marzipan-like nutty undertones.

The rest of the taste is a mix of decadence and spice conveyed through a rich and slightly molasses-tinged combination of ginger and chocolate. It very, very much read to me like gingerbread, which I didn’t expect but did quite enjoy. Very cozy, comforting and absolutely perfect as we head into the holidays!!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DCAHY8pyXoJ/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLK3n1yeK7Y&ab_channel=YouHeardItHereFirst%28YHIHF%29

2024 sipdown no. 74

Thank you for sharing Cameron!

This has a distinct fruity smell and taste. I can’t identify it as plum, it’s almost grape-like to me. It’s definitely not generic fruit. The base is a bit finicky — a 2.5 minute steep was a bit bitter, while a 2 minute steep worked well. However, bitterness came forward as it cooled even with the shorter steep.

Picked this up because I can always use a new fruity oolong in my life, and I tend to really enjoy Dammann’s oolong blends. Also I love rhubarb, and the Europeans do it so well in their tea blends (thinking of MF’s Marco Polo). This was nice, but maybe a little generic fruity? I did taste the rhubarb more than any of the other named fruits though, like apricot. My gut tells me that this is a tea that rewards you with patience – ie. you need to have it a few times to really appreciate and pick up all the flavours.

I couldn’t resist adding in some teas to my Dammann Freres advent order, and I’ve been curious about this one since last advent season seeing y’all here on Steepster review it so it was top of the list for me in terms of new blends I wanted to try!

I have to say, it made a STRONG first impression. Still a very black tea forward cup, as is the case for the majority of DF’s blends of this style. However, it’s got such a crystal clear creamy yogurt-like flavour with a just ripe mango note – still has the faintest bit of that pine-y resin note but also sweet, smooth and refreshing. The undertones are a little biscuit-y and sweet with that macaron-like nutty confection note but it’s very subtle and I think just adds to the overall richness without this being heavy or cloying or too fruity.

My biggest concern with this tea before tasting it would that it would simply just taste like mango without that very needed creamy component, but that’s not the case at all. I’ve also actually had a non-stop craving for this since finishing my mug, which is a VERY good sign.

I finally overcame my laziness and sorted out my account again (I don’t usually use Chrome but Steepster seems to despise Firefox). So… Hi everyone! I hope you have all been doing well :)

It’s fall, which apparently means French teas. Also lots and lots of Earl Grey. I think I meant to get Thé des Sages (should have double-checked my Steepster notes before ordering), but this one is still alright! The bergamot note and general profile is very clean, bold, bright, and floral-fruity – even with milk. Truly the best of both worlds with that assam/yunnan blend as a base.

I don’t normally care for raw oranges, but if I do eat one, I prefer the mild little clementines, which is the key citrus element in this blend. With a little cinnamon and clove, this would resemble my old favorite Constant Comment. WIthout the spice, it’s a doppelganger for Harney and Sons African Autumn. Tasty, but nothing that sets it uniquely apart.

Single-serving sipdown. I think this came with last year’s advent calendar? I’m not entirely sure how it came to be in my possession. I am sure that “carcadet” is really fun to say, so automatic points for that. This tastes like creamy raspberry jam. Like the filling in raspberry cookies, with an added creamy quality. The cream element is more pronounced when it’s hot, I think – as it cools, the creaminess fades into the background a bit. Would happily have this again.

One-sachet sipdown, I suppose. I don’t know, there’s something unsatisfying about calling it a sipdown when I only had one cup’s worth to begin with. I remain undecided on the question.
Pretty sure this came my way courtesy of the same friend who sent me the DF jasmine. Weirdly, I thought the dry leaf smelled a bit sweet and spearmint-y. It’s a very clear peppermint once steeped up though. Very cooling, with a hint of sweetness but not spearmint-y. One of the better peppermints I’ve had.

From Cameron B! Thanks so much! This one is rich as a black tea, and decadently like a fancy chocolate truffle as chocolate flavor, so that is enough to be a win for me!! However, it is 100% chocolate flavor that I’m getting, and no other additional flavors at this point.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug // 20 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3-4 minutes

Does it count as a sipdown if I only had one bag to begin with? A friend grabbed this for me from some nice hotel she stayed at. I consider myself very lucky to have people in my life who know about my slightly odd hobbies and find little ways to support them rather than make me feel bad about it! I don’t take that for granted at all.

The tea itself is very floral and fragrant to me! Clear jasmine scent and flavor on a somewhat heartier base than I was expecting. I would happily drink this again, though I have other good jasmines that are probably easier to get and more affordable.

I´ve just returned from a 4000+km road trip to my parents in Belgium. On my way back I managed to meet up with good friends I hadn´t seen in 12 years, so we spent many an hour chatting over a cup of tea, a glass of beer or wine :-) One morning, I drank this tea. Similar to a standard Earl Grey with less prominence of bergamot, soft on the whole with orange lending a sweet touch. Not bad at all, although I tend to like stronger teas in the morning.

Thanks very much, Cameron B!  I had this one a few days ago, so… here comes a short note.  I always thought this one sounded interesting and unique.  An odd mix of ingredients to represent ‘cereal’.  There is only a hint of sweetness in the first steep and then the second steep gets really REALLY medicinal tasting, or like something way too strongly plant-like.  A plant in a field.  Mustard? Something very yellow. hmm… It’s VERY odd the difference between the two steeps.  But either one, I wouldn’t call caramel cereal flavored.

August Sipdown Prompt – a calming tea

A gift from Superanna after her recent trip to Marseilles

One would expect a chamomile for this prompt, wouldn’t one? And of all things, what was I thinking drinking caffeine so close to bedtime? I was thinking that I doubt anything will keep me up tonight and maybe a small cup won’t bother me and I really, really have wanted to try this ever since I read about it. I hadn’t tried it yet because Ashman is home drinking tea with me and he doesn’t like florals other than jasmine usually, so I make tea that he will enjoy, too.

So…was it calming? You’re dang skippy, it was. As soon as I opened the pouch and smelled that familiar violet scent I was enamored. I made one cup of tea and poured it in my Lady Carlyle tea cup (gmathis: cue Hyacinth Bucket) and took it to the carport rockers to sit and watch a rain storm.

The base is STRONG. AS I rocked and sniffed the tea in my cup, I was not struck by the smell of violets so much as by the aroma of good, hefty black tea. This puppy could take milk and sugar if you want, for sure.

The aftertaste lingers and is pretty much indistinguishable from the aftertaste of violet candies. This is only my second violet tea, the first one being a Bird and Blend one that Martin sent me. This is my sign that I need to always have a violet tea on shelf.

I am tea-satisfied and ready to go to bed, quite peaceful in spite of the caffeine.

This is another tea that Superanna brought me from the trip to Marseille, and is the first one we tried because Superanna prefers green and white teas over black teas and all the rest were black.

The aroma of the dry leaves was vanilla and caramel. I keep it light when I steep and this was sencha so 175F and three minutes tops.

I liked it a lot more than other reviewers here. I thought the green tea was present but nit harsh, and the primary taste was creamy vanilla and caramel for me.

I sent a sample to my best friend because it seemed like a tea she would really love. I did advise steeping it at 165 instead of 175 in case the green might be a bit much for her, but she texted me that afternoon and said that I was right that she would like – she really loved it. I think I really had her in mind when I put it on my wish list, because I thought it would be a wonderful tea for the two of us to share on those precious occasions when we can get together for tea time.

August Sipdown Prompt – your poshest tea

I am not even going to pretend I know what defines posh tea or which of mine is the most fulfilling of that definition. I will, however, say that I feel super spoiled by this tea. Superanna bought it for me in Marseilles recently. The staff at the Dammann Freres shop there went above and beyond, even printing and attaching the labels in such a way that I could use them to label my tins at home instead of just sticking the label to the bags. She says the French may have been even nicer than the Canadians, and the Canadians “seemed about to burst into song” when she visited there.

This was so exactly what I hoped. Good black tea with a nice berry flavor, not red fruits or red berries masquerading as blackberry. Yes, it has some blackcuurant vibe and I love blackcurrant tea so that’s fine and I really rarely eat blackberries anyway so I wouldn’t be sure what they taste like in tea.

This resteeped more brilliantly than I would have imagined, so Ashman is getting it for breakfast tomorrow as well.

I had originally intended to buy the rooibos Pecan Pie but oh well, I don’t mind having another nutty black tea.

It does present a delightful aroma, though it leans more towards almond extract than the pecan pie I had anticipated. The red flowers, however, add a charming touch of visual elegance to the blend.

While it does evoke the essence of a nutty baked confection, the presence of pecans is rather scant. Instead, a distinct marzipan quality predominates, overshadowing the anticipated pecan pie notes. The subtle hint of honey graced the blend, which serves to beautifully balance the overall profile.

It’s globally quite good, though I must say, I’m not certain I’ll buy some more afterwards.

This black tea boasts a delightfully gourmand aroma, swirling with enticing notes I can’t quite place. The website says marron, cookie and caramel, with whispers of orange and apricot. Ever so subtle floral notes emerge after steeping. While pleasant, the overall impression leans generic, the promised complexity doesn’t quite translate in the cup.